Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Northern Star Cleaning Services ("we," "us," "our") is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you use our commercial cleaning services across Manchester and the North West of England.

We are registered as a data controller with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Information We Collect

We collect and process the following types of personal information:

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Contact Information: Name, business name, email address, phone number, postal address
• Quote Requests: Property details, cleaning requirements, preferred schedules, special instructions
• Service Information: Access codes, key holder details, emergency contacts, specific cleaning instructions
• Communication Records: Emails, phone calls, messages, feedback, and correspondence
• Payment Information: Billing address, payment preferences (payment processing is handled by third-party providers)

2.2 Information We Collect Automatically

• Website Usage: IP address, browser type, pages visited, time spent on site, referring websites
• Service Delivery: Visit logs, completion records, quality assessments, photographic evidence (with consent)
• Technical Data: Device information, operating system, connection data

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following legitimate business purposes:

3.1 Service Delivery

• Providing commercial cleaning services as contracted
• Scheduling and coordinating cleaning visits
• Managing access to your premises
• Quality control and service improvement
• Emergency contact and incident reporting

3.2 Business Operations

• Processing quotes and service requests
• Contract management and billing
• Customer support and communication
• Health and safety compliance
• Staff training and DBS checking coordination

3.3 Legal and Compliance

• Meeting legal obligations and regulatory requirements
• Insurance claims and risk management
• Dispute resolution and legal proceedings
• Health and safety incident reporting

3.4 Marketing (With Consent)

• Sending service updates and newsletters
• Promotional offers and seasonal campaigns
• Customer satisfaction surveys
• Website improvement and personalization

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data under the following legal bases:

• Contract Performance: To fulfill our cleaning service agreements
• Legitimate Interest: For business operations, quality control, and service improvement
• Legal Obligation: To comply with health and safety, tax, and other legal requirements
• Consent: For marketing communications and optional services (you can withdraw consent at any time)

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your personal information with:

5.1 Service Providers

• DBS Checking Services: For staff background verification
• Payment Processors: For secure payment handling
• Insurance Companies: For claims processing and risk assessment
• IT Support: For system maintenance and data backup (under strict confidentiality)

5.2 Legal Requirements

• Law enforcement agencies when legally required
• Regulatory bodies for compliance purposes
• Courts and legal representatives in case of disputes
• Emergency services in case of health and safety incidents

We never sell your personal data to third parties.

6. Data Security

We implement comprehensive security measures to protect your personal information:

• Encryption: All sensitive data is encrypted in transit and at rest
• Access Controls: Strict role-based access to personal data
• Staff Training: Regular data protection training for all employees
• Physical Security: Secure storage of physical documents and devices
• Regular Audits: Periodic security assessments and updates
• Incident Response: Procedures for handling potential data breaches

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary:

• Active Customers: For the duration of our service relationship plus 6 years for legal and tax purposes
• Prospective Customers: Quote information for 2 years unless you request earlier deletion
• Marketing Data: Until you unsubscribe or withdraw consent
• Legal Records: As required by law (typically 6-7 years for business records)
• CCTV/Photos: Deleted after 30 days unless required for insurance or legal purposes

8. Your Data Protection Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights:

8.1 Right of Access

You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you, free of charge.

8.2 Right to Rectification

You can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data.

8.3 Right to Erasure

You can request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances.

8.4 Right to Restrict Processing

You can ask us to limit how we use your personal data in specific situations.

8.5 Right to Data Portability

You can request your data in a structured, commonly used format.

8.6 Right to Object

You can object to processing based on legitimate interests or for marketing purposes.

8.7 Right to Withdraw Consent

You can withdraw consent for marketing communications at any time.

To exercise these rights, contact us at: info@northernstarcleaning.com or +44-161-524-2891

9. Cookies and Website Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to:

• Ensure proper website functionality
• Remember your preferences and settings
• Analyze website usage and performance
• Provide relevant content and advertisements

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

10. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies.

11. Children's Privacy

Our services are directed at businesses and adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you believe we have collected such information, please contact us immediately.

12. International Data Transfers

We primarily process data within the UK. Any international transfers are conducted under appropriate safeguards, including:

• Adequacy decisions by the UK government
• Standard contractual clauses
• Binding corporate rules
• Explicit consent where required

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect:

• Changes in our data processing practices
• Legal or regulatory updates
• New services or technologies
• Customer feedback and improvements

We will notify you of significant changes via email or website notice. The latest version will always be available on our website.

14. Complaints and Regulatory Contact

If you have concerns about our data processing practices, please contact us first. If you remain unsatisfied, you can lodge a complaint with:

15. Contact Us

For any privacy-related questions, concerns, or to exercise your data protection rights:

We aim to respond to all privacy inquiries within 72 hours and fulfill data subject requests within one month, as required by UK GDPR.